The Women Who Knew Too Much: Hitchcock and Feminist Theory - Paperback

by Tania Modleski (Author)

Originally published in 1988, The Women Who Knew Too Much remains a classic work in film theory and feminist criticism. The book consists of a theoretical introduction and analyses of seven important films by Alfred Hitchcock, each of which provides a basis for an analysis of the female spectator as well as of the male spectator. Modleski considers the emotional and psychic investments of men and women in female characters whose stories often undermine the mastery of the cinematic "master of suspense." The third edition features an interview with the author by David Greven, in which he and Modleski reflect on how feminist and queer approaches to Hitchcock studies may be brought into dialogue. A teaching guide and discussion questions by Ned Schantz help instructors and students to delve into this seminal work of feminist film theory.

Back Jacket

In The Women Who Knew Too Much, Tania Modleski claims that critical approaches to Hitchcock have falsely fallen into two camps: either he is seen as a misogynist, or he is seen as sympathetic to women in his demonstration of women's plight in patriarchy. In opposition to these positions, Modleski asserts that Hitchcock is deeply ambivalent towards his female characters.

Author Biography

Tania Modleski is Florence R. Scott Professor of English at the University of Southern California. She is the author of Loving with a Vengeance and Feminism Without Women, and of numerous articles on feminism, film, and popular culture.

David Greven is Professor of English Language and Literature at the University of South Carolina. He is the author of numerous books on both film and literature and has written extensively on Hitchcock.

Ned Schantz is Associate Professor of English at McGill University and is at work on a study of Hitchcock and hospitality. He is the author of Gossip, Letters, Phones: The Scandal of Female Networks in Film and Literature (Oxford University Press, 2008).